Education: The Cost of Raising a Child

How much does it cost to educate a child? Who determines what fits into this increasingly diverse and demanding mix? If before, attending school and adding a few extra activities was enough, today's consumer and competitive society seems to have quadrupled the number of things a child "must" do or have. Beyond the endless models of Upbringing, possibilities, and aspirations in general seem to be insufficient with compulsory education . Without losing sight of the fact that this public right in Argentina saves the day, the food, and the lives of thousands of children, the truth is that the skills needed to grow are not all acquired at home or at school. However, beyond the quality of education, changes in learning methods, and diverse variations, no one denies that school and university leave their mark and nourish people's minds and personalities. You never leave the same level you entered.

The introduction addresses the difficulty of strictly defining what constitutes education expenses, but which undoubtedly exceeds school and basic care. Within this framework, Mendoza families have seen how the cost of educating their children increases and grows faster than inflation . Along these lines, those with two, three, or more children face a complex scenario from every perspective, while for the majority, the cost of tuition, clothing, and activities becomes increasingly difficult.

In this context, budget cuts have been decided for areas such as clubs or languages. Some private universities have admitted to reducing tuition this year, which they attribute to economic reasons. Although the cost of tuition is not always entirely borne by parents and more and more students are studying and working, the situation is not easy for those who attend public universities either, as there are always materials to pay for. With variations by faculty and program, tuition at a private university in Mendoza today can start at approximately $150,000 and exceed $270,000.

Although some arrived earlier, the month of June brought increases across the board. Specifically, for those with children, notifications of increases in fees for special activities began arriving in May. Regarding private schools, increases have occurred practically monthly in most schools that receive some type of subsidy. Those that don't and are more expensive also received notices of increases in the second week of the month.

As an example, because the cases and fees vary, in December the cost of a standard, subsidized, half-day school was around $18,000/$19,000; in February it cost around $30,000, then jumped to $58,000 in March and to nearly $63,000 in May/June. The amounts show that the increases are well above the inflation measured by INDEC (National Institute of Statistics and Census) through the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Between January and June, tuition prices increased by more than 100%. Through April (the latest official data available), cumulative inflation was 11.3%, and given that the index is expected to decline in May, inflation would not reach 13% in five months.

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The situation impacts families from lower to upper middle class who chose and were able to afford private school. “Until a year ago, tuition wasn't moving the needle for us, but now it's becoming increasingly difficult,” said Andrea, who has two children in a private Catholic school and pays nearly $58,000 per child due to the sibling discount. Her situation is like that of many wage earners who see these types of basic services increase at the expense of salaries that, in some cases, have barely changed since December 2024.

Those who send their children to public schools have not been spared by the rise in bus fares or fuel costs. Added to this is the cost of materials, clothing, and footwear, which children tend to change—due to wear and tear and growth—more frequently than adults. Regarding bus fares, although student discounts are available in Mendoza, the general price of a bus ticket has increased more than 54% in five months. In November, it cost $650 and in April, it rose to $1,000.

Due to school schedules, students generally can't afford the reduced fare offered during off-peak hours, which is $830. For elementary school students, the fare is $400 and $332 during reduced-peak hours. Those attending high school and university pay the same as retirees, with a fare of $500 or $415, depending on the schedule. "Obviously, it's not the biggest expense because sneakers, a jacket, and a uniform weigh more, but it adds up at the end of the month," reflected Mario, who has three school-age children. "I take them in the morning, and on the way back, they come alone and together on the metrotram since they can accompany each other," he said, adding that his children are 11, 8, and 6 years old.

Jorge Day, an economist at Ieral of the Mediterranean Foundation, explained that when the situation in Argentina is unstable, the dollar becomes more expensive for tradable goods, which are those that can be exported and imported. In contrast, services such as professional services, which also include education, are cheap. In the current context, these areas of the economy have now become more expensive, although they cannot rise as much because salaries have not yet recovered. "The better an economy is doing and the more developed it is, the more income is expected to be allocated to things other than food and housing, which includes education ," Day explained.

The economist also commented that in education services, competition is lower because—at the primary, secondary, and university levels—one must limit oneself to the existing supply in the province or area of ​​influence. The situation is different for postgraduate degrees, which can be studied remotely, so competition is greater and therefore prices should not rise above market expectations. " Inflation can drop to less than 2% per month, but if the dollar is stable, food prices should rise below that percentage, and services will tend to rise above that," Day explained.

The National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) measures what it calls the " child-rearing basket," and the latest available data is from April 2025. The study divides spending by age group, from 0 to 12 years inclusive, based on their different nutritional, care, and general development requirements. The previous measurement is from February of this year, and a 1.5% increase can be seen over the two-month period. Although the figure is not the same for the different age groups, according to the official agency, child- rearing has increased less than inflation over the same period.

The INDEC basket divides the cost of childcare between the cost of goods and services and care. Between ages 1 and 3, the latter item carries more weight than the former, while as children grow older, the burdens between the two become more equal. In April 2025, the childcare basket for a child under one year old totaled $410,524, of which $125,735 was allocated to services and $284,788 to care. The figure for children ages 1 to 3 was $487,826, distributed as $162,354 and $325,473, respectively. From ages 4 to 5, the INDEC basket totaled $410,197, of which $206,777 went to goods and services and $203,420 to care expenses. Finally, for children aged 6 to 12, $515,984 must be allocated, divided into $256,508 and $259,476.

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At a quick glance, it seems that more money is spent on education expenses than the National Institute of Statistics (INDEC). However, as stated, this is not easy to quantify because the variables involved are so broad. Within this framework, INDEC presents a specific methodology. The official agency's report explains that the valuation of the childcare basket for early childhood, childhood, and adolescence (0 to 12 years) is based on a basket that includes both the monthly cost of acquiring goods and services for the development of infants, boys, and adolescents, as well as the cost of care, which arises from the valuation of the time required for said activity.

To calculate the cost of goods and services for child development, the monthly value of the total basic basket (CBT) for Greater Buenos Aires (GBA) is used, as published monthly by INDEC (National Institute of Statistics and Census) for poverty measurement. 2 This includes the cost of acquiring food necessary to cover minimum energy requirements, as well as the cost of non-food goods and services (clothing, transportation, education, healthcare, housing, etc.). To estimate the cost of care, the theoretical time required for each age group is considered. In turn, care hours are valued based on the salary for the "Assistance and Care of Persons" category of the Special Employment Contract Regime for Domestic Workers.

To calculate the value and number of hours required for childcare, INDEC's work uses the normative approach developed by the National Directorate of Economy, Equality and Gender and UNICEF (2023). This approach estimates a minimum of 8 hours of childcare per day, in accordance with the length of the working day determined by the Employment Contract Law. The average length of public school days is then discounted, as a measure that also guarantees the care of infants and adolescents, as follows: non-compulsory education for children under 4 years of age; a public school day of 3 hours per day for the initial segment (4 to 5 years old); a public school day of 4 hours per day for the primary segment (6 to 12 years old).

In this regard, José Vargas, an economist at the consulting firm Evaluecon, stated that the child-rearing basket developed by INDEC is relative because it measures necessary goods and services. As with the calculation of the CBT (Total Basic Income), the official agency does not take into account issues that are important today when raising a child. "In practice, the basket number published by INDEC is at least $150,000 behind if we consider everything that is actually invested in raising a child," Vargas commented. His consulting firm surveys prices monthly and calculates the value of the "decent" Total Basic Basket. That is, beyond the poverty line, how much it costs to pay rent, medical care, education , rent, and—specifically—the activities children engage in outside of school.

Gustavo Fernández is president of the Mendoza Chamber of Bookstores and Toy Stores . Regarding prices, he reported that price increases have been minimal or nonexistent since last year, and the few increases did not exceed 3% in total. Despite this, the sector is going through a very difficult time due to declining sales and a bleak outlook. With strong sales at the beginning of the year, Mendoza residents are currently buying the bare minimum while costs (rent, electricity, salaries) climb above inflation . The drop in sales is not only being felt by merchants but also by booksellers' suppliers and even truck drivers, who report having cut their trips from Buenos Aires in half.

To alleviate the situation, businesses are looking for alternatives, such as working with existing stocks, since increasing variety and quantity is not profitable, as families are limited to stocking the bare minimum for school and neglecting the new releases or favorite books that children usually request. "We believe this will continue until the end of the year, and the only relief is being able to finish paying off the debts that are usually incurred during the season," commented Fernández, who clarified that—despite everything—hope persists.

The drop in sales can be reflected in the efforts many families make to support activities they consider important for their children. María Carolina has an 11-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter. Both participate in extracurricular activities, which received a raise in June. Club fees increased by $5,000 to $35,000, and the same happened with English classes, where they pay close to $60,000. Her and her husband's incomes allow her to afford the activities, which also include an art workshop and always some outings with friends. However, she is aware of her privileged status and has considered dropping some of the activities if they continue to rise above inflation, since, no matter how much her salary is, it is important for it to also increase.

In the parent groups, the comment is the same: all activities increased in June, and it's unknown if there will be another increase before the end of the year. For some, it was $3,000 more, for others $6,000, and some reported having paid much more in increased fees. Generally speaking, and with the exception of municipal programs, the minimum cost of any extracurricular activity is no less than $20,000 per month. The amount alone doesn't say much and could even be compared to the price of a steak, a pizza, or a kilo of ice cream. However, it's not just fees that add up; other expenses must also be added, such as special shoes, clothing for exhibitions, racquets, hockey sticks, skates, etc.; payment for special exhibitions or federation fees, outings, exams, and a long list of costs that add up to the struggle to make ends meet.